How can I, as a graphic designer, use my skills to support peace and build human connections? Can sport promote and activate a better society? Are there better ways to aid impoverished communities other than by giving monetary donations? These are all questions that I will aim to uncover in my final project for Global Now.
The work produced for this final project will come courtesy of my summer internship with the organization Peace and Sport. Peace and Sport is an international charitable organization created in 2007 under Prince Albert II of Monaco. Peace and Sport aims to gather various stakeholders and dedicates themselves on implementing sustainable sports-related practices for communities in need. The charity uses sport as a tool for peace education in countries such as Haiti, Colombia, Burundi, Israel, etc.
What is my role in this organization? Namely, I am to design a series of 30 instructional manuals that each: present a sport, show to play the sport, and describe how that sport can be implemented in school systems. I will then design 20 manuals that showcase the impoverished communities how to cheaply construct the athletic material needed for these sports. The manuals will be distributed in over 70 countries around the world. They must thusly be designed to be easily understood by all, and must feature instructional ‘characters’ that are universal (so that any person regardless of race can identify themselves with the characters).
This project touches upon many themes: sustainability, human connections, technology, racism/imperialism, and education. Sustainability is addressed here in a very powerful way; of building a sustainable lifestyle.
Imagine if we also addressed the notion of scale here. For example, let’s say one manual is created. That one manual is given to one community. That community uses the guide to improve the lives of their youth, giving them an outlet and a means to build positive social relationships. These individuals can take the valuable lessons learned in sport (teamwork, hard work, practice, sportsmanship) and apply it into their daily lives—thus making their lives and the lives of others around them benefit. Now imagine if countless communities around the globe adapted these practices. The positive impact would be staggering. All of this potential held within the design of a seemingly simple manual.
-Valentina
(TH) Global Issues 
I think this is a admirable attempt to solve a problem a lot of people have been trying to solve, I think these types of projects has to be ones that have the out-come of becoming self sufficient, and easy to run projects things that people can do for them selves that would benefit the youth and the community in the long run, I think Nike those this thing where if they sell a curtain $ = amount of shoes, they will donate a percentage of shoes to some kids in poor countries. that might be a starting point. not a lot of people think or designers think this way, so that’s a good move.